Devote Yourselves to Prayer...Together

 

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” -Romans 12:12

A Godly desire for a vibrant prayer life will be tested in this world of pains and afflictions. Whether things are going well or poorly, whether in comfort or pain, rejoicing or weeping, I am to be “constant in prayer,” or faithfully devoted to prayer.

How do I persist in a vibrant prayer life when things are going well in my life? I am to rejoice in hope. How do I persist in a vibrant prayer life when in tribulation? I am to be patient. Whether I am rejoicing in hope or patient in tribulation, I gather strength from sweet communion by the Spirit with the heavenly Father through Christ in prayer.

Yet, we need help to obey this commandment of Scripture. To rejoice in hope, faithfully endure in all afflictions and trials, and faithfully devoted to prayer is a community project. The early church “with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14) and “devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).

The hope of a healthy, vibrant prayer life of a follower of Christ that endures all things and rejoices in hope leans heavily on a local church that enjoys a healthy, vibrant prayer life together. Later in Romans 12 Paul commands us to “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” A rejoicing hope is not enjoyed in isolation, but celebrated in the community of a church family. A tear is not to be shed in simple solitude, but grieved in the community of a church family. And all of this in a love for one another which enjoys a healthy, vibrant life of devoted prayer together.

Often, we are tempted that our value in friendships within a local church family is dependent on our own usefulness. Yet, we simply rejoice with those rejoicing and weep with those weeping. There is an end to our counseling and consoling, even an end to our usefulness in labors. Yet Christ’s ability has no end. When hope calls for rejoicing or afflictions test patience in lives around us, we are called to devote ourselves to prayer.

Beloved, do not simply give words or deeds as a church family, but devote yourselves to prayer. Pray for and with one another in love for one another in Christ regularly. May we, the building up of spiritual stones, be made into a house of prayer. By God’s grace we petition for and with one another with thanksgiving in our hearts that His peace that surpasses understanding guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Guards to rejoice in hope; guards to be patient in tribulation.

Heavenly Father, make us into Your house devoted to prayer, pleading for Your needed mercies for each other considering other’s interest above our own. Be glorified in Your praying people. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Calling on the Lord in Times of Distress

“In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me.” -Psalm 120:1

There are days, even seasons, which feels so heavy upon your heart and nothing seems to go right. Your workload and workplace relationships are stressed. Home life isn’t a refuge, but only adds to the stress. Perhaps you become the object of scorn. The idea of stress accompanied with hurtful words stings your heart and keeps you up at night. Everything around you presses upon you. Your heart gives weight to the biblical word “distress.”

In Psalm120, the Psalmist is being attacked by lips of falsehood and lying words which feel like they were arrows shot by an enemy attacker and burning coals upon the heart (vs 4). The Psalmist has lived a long time surrounded by such a crowd of people who hate peace (vs 5-6). He even writes, “I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war” (vs 7).

Do you know of such folks? Even the kindest words seem to provoke them. Much like Proverbs 25:21-22, feeding your enemy or simply showing a steadfast kindness is like pouring hot coals upon their heads. The slightest things you mean for peace is viewed as an act of aggression. No matter how much peace you speak, they stir more drama and add to the stress of the whole thing. 

Notice where this overwhelmed, over-stressed, grieved, aching Psalmist goes: “In my distress I called to the Lord.” It is so easy that when others bring war and scorn to break with our peace and engage our enemies in our distress. As our Lord Jesus set the example, so must we follow this Psalmist. When you are in distress, call out to the Lord. Pray. Pray long and pray deep. Pray for endurance in the pains of distress. Pray for His peace which surpasses understanding, even if these lying lips continue their heated and painful scorn.

We have this assurance, beloved: “And He answered me.” Judgment is left in His hands (vs 3), for vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19). Ask the Lord for peace and remain speaking peace even if they speak war. Remain at peace, even if the pressures around you do not ease and the scoffers around you are still provoked by every way of peace. When weakened in your distress, call to the Lord. He will answer: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9).

Heavenly Father, whether we are in distress or distress can creep unexpectedly soon, we rejoice in the assurance You provide that when we cry out to You, You will answer us. Bless us, Father, by Your rich mercies to be at peace and continue to speak peace, even if the hostility around us does not relent. Your grace is enough for us. Strengthen us according to Your promises for us in Christ. Amen.

A Prayer After Preaching

Heavenly Father,

Needy did I walk to the pulpit with Your Word,
Feeble as my heart was
       and imperfect were my words -
Take Your glorious truths I expounded
Tether Your power to the words I had spoken
      and burn them into the hearts You have created anew.

Bind the wounds of the brokenhearted
Encourage the despondent
Give motion to the idle
Grant repentance to the sinful
Provide strength to the weak
       mercy to the needy
       rest to the weary
       peace to the flustered
       joy to the downcast
       perseverance to those at the end of themselves

Raise my thoughts of Jesus higher
Diminish my thoughts of myself lower
       to shepherd Your people heavenward
       where I will lay my staff at Your feet

Grant to Your servant rest
       and teach me to rest
Trusting You have no need
       of my labors
       of my worries
       of my dreams
       of my successes
That I may sleep tonight
While You never rest
       and work as I sleep

Lord, before You I lay all my uncertainties
       my fears
       my failings
       my brokenness
       my longings        
And lay them all into Your competent hands

I entrust my flock
       those whom my heart loves
To the Good Shepherd
       Whose voice they follow
       Toward the city of the living God
       Where we will enjoy You forever
                 In everlasting rest
                      Which we foretasted here
                            And rested so briefly

Slipping Away to Pray

“But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.” -Luke 5:16

With the advent of cars and internet, the modern human workload and connectivity and soccer practices and binge watching flood our schedules with travel, noise, and busyness. We humans can survive through our days and nights in this noise without rest; however, our Creator made us to worship Him, not simply survive. Without taking rest in God in needy worship, we will press through our schedules while joy and peace fades into anxiety or indifference. We become downcast. 

Christ’s example is set before us to become more like Him. Our Lord had a busy schedule. Many people were coming to Him for healing, massive crowds pressed in around Him hungry for teaching, and Pharisees came with confrontation in attempts to frustrate Him. In the midst of this schedule, the Gospel writer Luke inserts that Jesus made a regular habit to slip away to pray alone. Not with His disciples. He went away alone.

Getting away to pray to the Father, without the company of others or receiving public notice, seems inefficient to the modern person. There are so many things I need to do and needs my attention. Why slip away? What will prayer accomplish? Before we claim that we would never say this, how often do we slip away to pray alone? In practice, we view prayer as useless activity, especially praying without anyone else. Why disconnect? Why slip away? It sounds like driving on a long road trip alone in a car with no working radio.

Spurgeon said, “though infinitely better able to do without prayer than we are, yet Christ prayed much more than we do.” Why? His communion with the heavenly Father, which He won for us. We now enjoy fellowship with God. We can take to Him our troubles and anxieties, our joys and cares.

We are not alone when we slip away to pray alone. If God is simply a subject we talk about in crowds rather than a Person enjoyed in worship of Him, praying alone will seem lonely. 

Prayer is part of a life of worship. Enjoying God, being in His presence to delight in Him, this is cause enough to slip away from the noise and the schedule to pray to my heavenly Father. This means we must see communion with God as more delightful than anything else. To persevere in our slipping away into private communion with God in prayer, even through difficulties and trials, our hearts must be set more deeply upon our delight in God and less absorbed in pleasing ourselves through our leisure and busyness in life.

Heavenly Father, grant us grace to crave a deep, private communion with You in our prayers. Guard our hearts through our days that we may slip away from our noisy, busy lives to enjoy being with You. For truly a day in Your courts is better than a thousand days in our earthly pursuits. We ask for your mercies in Jesus’ name. Amen.